Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising those issues. I know that he has a great knowledge of the social protection scheme and I take on board the issue he has raised about appeals and their overturning. I commit to looking at that issue and will be happy to speak to him about it. If he has a specific case in mind, I am happy to discuss it with him.

The Department of Social Protection is here to help people. Our number one objective is to help people when they need it and provide security for when someone is off sick or retires. We cover every aspect of people's lives. There is not one family in this country that social protection will not touch at some stage in their lives. The staff of the Department work extremely hard and treat people in a humane way. That said, there may be an odd occasion when difficulties arise and that is why the appeals mechanism is there. The message I want to get out, loud and clear, is that we are here to help people and will not be found wanting. It is fair to say that the Government has not been found wanting in the pandemic unemployment supports it has put in place. We have paid €5.5 million since the pandemic unemployment payment started last March. We extended it when it needed to be extended and kept it open for people so they did not have to worry that if they lost their jobs they would not get back onto the PUP. We have kept it open and people have been able to reapply for it. We will continue to support people insofar as we need to during this pandemic. I thank the Deputy for raising the issue.

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